What To Do If Your Child Has A Dental Emergency

Catching baseballs, running around the house, roughhousing with their sibling -- All sorts of activities could be risky for your child's teeth. While teeth are quite durable and are able to withstand general bumps, dental emergencies do happen. If your child comes running to you with a tooth problem, the American Dental Association recommends that you try to visit your dentist ASAP.

"For all dental emergencies, it’s important to visit your dentist as soon as possible," Mouth Healthy, an ADA publication, recommends. "Most dentists reserve time in their daily schedules for emergency patients so be sure to call your dentist and provide as much detail as you can about your condition. If the accident occurs when your dental office is not open, visit your local emergency room."

For specific dental emergencies, follow this guide to take the best action for your child's situation. By acting quickly, you can get your little one smiling in no time.

• Cracks And Chips: A cracked or chipped tooth may be immediately painful and scary for your child, but can be fixed easily if you take the right steps. Start by having your child rinse their mouth with warm water, cleaning the tooth of bacteria. While you call your child's dentist to secure the first available emergency appointment, apply an ice pack to your kid's face to control any swelling.

• Knocked Out Tooth: If your child knocks out a tooth, be sure to keep them calm and tell them that the dentist will fix it. Especially if this is a permanent tooth, place it in milk to keep it from drying out. If you happen to have an ADA-approved preservation liquid on hand, this is even better. Be sure to visit a dentist as soon as possible and address any other injuries that may have occurred as well.

• Severe Toothache: This type of pain can have a variety of causes, so start by checking your child's mouth for any caught food. Then have them rinse with warm water to clean the area and remove any other particles. If your child's pain persists or they are unconsolable, visit a medical clinic or emergency room right away.

• Bitten Lip: Steps to treat a bitten lip vary depending on the severity of their injury. If your child bites their lip and you think they might need stitches, be sure to take them to an urgent care facility, 85% of which are open seven days a week. You can also call 9-1-1 to get in touch with the closest emergency dentist. If they don't seem to have injured their lip too severely, simply apply a cold pack to the area to reduce swelling. Offering a popsicle may also console your child.

Remember that the best way to keep your child's teeth strong is to keep up with their semiannual dentist appointments. Most people wait an average of three years between appointments, which could let dental problems go unnoticed. By committing to preventative care and addressing dental emergencies, you can keep your whole family sporting healthy smiles.